Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca — John Shaqi
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
The coloration in the living frogs is highly variable due to extreme
metachrosis. Individuals of this species are capable of changing the
dorsal coloration from green to brown in a short period of time. Both
green and brown individuals have been found active at night. Usually
those individuals found hiding by day are brown. One individual from
Finca La Sumbadora, Panama (now KU 91914), was kept alive in the
laboratory for nearly one month. This individual usually was pale green
with tan dorsal markings at night and tan with pale green markings by
day. On occasion the pale green dorsal markings were boldly outlined by
bright dark green.
In living individuals from throughout the range of the species the iris
is a bronze color, darkest medially with fine black reticulations.
_Natural History._--_Smilisca phaeota_ inhabits humid lowland tropical
forest and seldom ascends the foothills to more than 1,000 meters. The
rather equable climatic conditions, especially more or less evenly
distributed rainfall throughout the year, permit this frog to be active
most of the year. Dunn (1931:413) reported males calling on Barro
Colorado Island, Panama, in February and in July, and Breder (1946:416)
noted calling individuals in the Chucanaque drainage of Darien, Panama
in January, March, July, August and October and in Costa Rica in April
through August inclusively. Calling males were found at Bonanza,
Nicaragua in March and in July.
At all times of year the usual daytime retreats for these frogs are near
water; the frogs have been found in elephant ear plants (_Xanthosoma_)
and in bromeliads; occasional individuals have been found sitting on
shaded branches of bushes and trees. None has been observed on the
ground or beneath ground-cover by day.
The length of the breeding season cannot be determined definitely. The
earliest date on which eggs have been found is May 23; Gaige, Hartweg,
and Stuart (1937:5) reported a gravid female taken at El Recreo,
Nicaragua, in September, and we have a gravid female taken at Almirante,
Panama, in March.
Males usually call from secluded spots at the edge of water. All calling
males that we observed were on the ground within a few centimeters of
the water. The males usually are hidden beneath an overhanging leaf or
some other cover; they definitely do not sit in the open like _Smilisca
baudini_. Most calling males and clasping pairs have been found at the
edges of small pools or shallow ditches, although occasional individuals
are found at the edges of large ponds or streams.
The breeding call consists of one or two moderately short, low-pitched
notes (duration 0.33 to 0.42 seconds), repeated at intervals of about 20
seconds to several minutes. Each note is a low, vibrant "wauk," having
100 to 130 pulses per second and a dominant frequency of 330 to 420
cycles per second (Pl. 10C).
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